Airplane-launching track



March 31, 1931. HEINKEL 1,798,880

AIRPLANE LAUNCHING TRACK Filed April 19, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

ERNST HEINKEL.

March 31, 1931. E. HEINKEL 1,798,880

AIRPLANE LAUNCHING TRACK Filed April 19, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L L iii Li n INVENTOR. Fg- E- ERNST HEINKEL- BY s A TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 31, 1931 PATENT OFFICE ERNST HEINKEL, OI WABNEMUNDE, GERMANY AmrLANE-LAUNonme Timon Application filed April 19, 1930, Serial No. 445,771, and in Germany April 18, 1929.

My invention relates to the construction of trackways for flying machines, on which the latter are launched by being propelled over a comparatively short distance, so as to be quickly accelerated to the speed necessary for rising into the air, and more particularly to trackways having power operated propel ing means for effectively accelerating the flying machine to an extent that the distance necessary for gaining the proper speed is considerably reduced.

Notwithstanding the-provision of powerful propelling mea'ns, trackways for the pur pose set forth must still be made of considerable length, said structures generally consist ing of framework by which the trackway proper is supported. Trackways of this character obviously require considerable space for their erection which feature is of paramount importance on board of ships and constitutes a drawback which is still more aggravated by the fact that it is desirable to make the whole trackway rotatable around a vertical axis so as to be capable of being 95 turned into any direction facing the wind.

These drawbacks count very heavily in view of the limited space on the deck of ships and in view of the fact that the said trackways if provided on board of fast boats carrying passengers and mail only are generally used at comparatively rare occasions.

The object of the invention is to provide a structurally improved trackway for the purpose set forth which requires considerably less space for its erection and manipulation ghan other trackways of the kind used'heretoore.

The nature and scope of the invention are briefly outlined in the appended claims and will be more fully understood from the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a general diagram, Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevations showing dia rammatically the salient features of the trac way by way of examples,

Figs. 4 and 5 are plan vlews diagrammatical y showing structurally modified trackwaylsl. I

e trackway consists of a framework 1 on which a flying machine 2 is slidably su ported by means of a launching car 3, t e

latter being capable of propelling the flying machine through power operated means mounted on the car proper, or engaging the latter from without. The frame work 1 may be pivotally mounted so as to be capable of being shifted around a pivot 4, a circular rail 5 serving as a support on which rollers 6 attached to the frame work 1 roll along.

According to this invention the foremost section 7 of the frame 1 is hinged at the main section of the latter so as to be capable of being folded up e. g. tilted upwardly or downwardly as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively.

The hinges may be designed so as to render it possible to tilt the front section 7 of the trackway through an angle of 180; however in many cases a smaller angle of 90 or even less than 90 will be suflicient for effectively manipulating the said front section i. e. substantially reducing the length of the trackway 1 when not in-use.

In the modified construction diagrammatically shown in Fig. 4 the front section 7 is hinged at 8 at one side of the main section 1 so as to be swung around a vertical axis as indicated in dotted lines and placed alongside the main section 1.

In the modification diagrammatically shown in Fig. 5 the front section is divided into two parts 7a, 7b hinged at both sides of the main section 1 respectively and being capable of being swung around vertical axes 9, 10, as indicated in dotted lines. A cotter bolt 11 or other suitable clamping element will serve 'for locking the front sections 7a, 7b with each other when the trackway is to be got ready for use.

As a matter of fact, auxiliary devices for turning the front sections 7a, 7 6 around such as winches can be di ensed with, as they can be easily manipulate by hand.

Various appropriate means maybe provided for tiltlng the front section 7 of the trackway 1 upwardly or downwardly according to the design shown in Figs. 2 and 3. n Fig. 2, by way of an example, a tooth and worm gear 13, 14 driven by a bevel gear provided for the l 23 and a crankshaft 12 are said purpose.

In Fig. 3 the front section 7 is operated by a power driven actuating mechanism comprising a cylinder 17, a piston 18 and connecting members 19, 19a, 19b.

Various othermodifications may be made in the structural design of trackways and their component parts described above, without substantially departing from the spirit and the salient ideas of my mvention.

For instance arrangements may be made for placing the braking device 20, used for retarding the launching car 3 at the end of its journey either on the main section 1 or on the front section 7. Rope pulleys 22, 22' may be provided at the front section 7 and at the main section 1 of the trackway respectively, which are ready for being alternatively used in connection with the rope 21 in cases when the whole trackway or the main section alone is in operation for launching a flying machine.

What I claim is:

1. Launching track for supporting flying machines and the like during their start comprising a frame structure made in two parts hinged together so as to be capable of being folded up.

2. Launching track as set forth in claim 1, in which the front section of the track structure is hinged to the rear section by means of horizontally disposed pivots allowing the said front section to be tilted upwards or downwards-into an inoperative position.

3. Launching track as set forth in claim 1, in which the front section of the track structure is hinged to the rear section by means of vertically disposed pivots allowing the front section to be swung backwardly alongside the rear section into a juxtaposed inoperative position. I

4. Launching track as set forth in claim 1, in which the front section of the track structure is made in two halves both extending in the longitudnal direction of the trackway and being hinged by means of vertically disposed pivotsto the rear section so as to be capable of being individually swung backwardly alongside the rear section into posed inoperative posit-ions.

' In testimony. whereof I aflix my signature.

ERNST HEINKEL.

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